diff --git a/services/presence/PresenceService.py b/services/presence/PresenceService.py
index 71fd6414..d3f0ea5c 100644
--- a/services/presence/PresenceService.py
+++ b/services/presence/PresenceService.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import Activity
 import random
 import logging
 from sugar import util
+from sugar import env
 import BuddyIconCache
 
 
@@ -302,9 +303,13 @@ class PresenceService(object):
 		self._icon_cache = BuddyIconCache.BuddyIconCache()
 
 		# Our owner object
-		objid = self._get_next_object_id()
-		self._owner = Buddy.Owner(self, self._bus_name, objid, self._icon_cache)
-		self._buddies[self._owner.get_name()] = self._owner
+		if env.get_nick_name():
+			objid = self._get_next_object_id()
+			self._owner = Buddy.Owner(self, self._bus_name,
+									  objid, self._icon_cache)
+			self._buddies[self._owner.get_name()] = self._owner
+		else:
+			self._owner = None
 
 		self._started = False
 
diff --git a/sugar/Makefile.am b/sugar/Makefile.am
index d45f1f6e..f683cc8a 100644
--- a/sugar/Makefile.am
+++ b/sugar/Makefile.am
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ sugar_PYTHON =				\
 	logger.py			\
 	setup.py			\
 	oldsimulator.py			\
+	simulator.py			\
 	TracebackUtils.py		\
 	util.py
 
diff --git a/sugar/env.py b/sugar/env.py
index b0c5443c..036d9440 100644
--- a/sugar/env.py
+++ b/sugar/env.py
@@ -14,10 +14,16 @@ def setup_user(profile):
 	os.environ['SUGAR_COLOR'] = profile.get_color().to_string()
 
 def get_nick_name():
-	return os.environ['SUGAR_NICK_NAME']
+	if os.environ.has_key('SUGAR_NICK_NAME'):
+		return os.environ['SUGAR_NICK_NAME']
+	else:
+		return None
 
 def get_color():
-	return os.environ['SUGAR_COLOR']
+	if os.environ.has_key('SUGAR_COLOR'):
+		return os.environ['SUGAR_COLOR']
+	else:
+		return None
 
 def setup_python_path():
 	for path in sugar_python_path:
diff --git a/sugar/simulator.py b/sugar/simulator.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c7fccfa7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sugar/simulator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+from sugar.presence import PresenceService
+from sugar.graphics.iconcolor import IconColor
+from sugar.p2p import Stream
+from sugar import util
+
+_PRESENCE_SERVICE_TYPE = "_presence_olpc._tcp"
+
+class BotService(object):
+	def __init__(self, bot):
+		self._bot = bot
+
+	def announce(self):
+		props = { 'color':  self._bot.color.to_string() }
+		pservice = PresenceService.get_instance()
+		self._service = pservice.register_service(self._bot.name,
+							_PRESENCE_SERVICE_TYPE, properties=props)
+
+		self._stream = Stream.Stream.new_from_service(self._service)
+		self._stream.register_reader_handler(
+						self._handle_buddy_icon_request, "get_buddy_icon")
+		self._stream.register_reader_handler(
+						self._handle_invite, "invite")
+
+	def _handle_buddy_icon_request(self):
+		if self._bot.icon:
+			fd = open(self._bot.icon, "r")
+			icon_data = fd.read()
+			fd.close()
+			if icon_data:
+				return base64.b64encode(self._icon)
+		return ''
+
+	def _handle_invite(self, issuer, bundle_id, activity_id):
+		return ''
+
+	def set_current_activity(self, activity_id):
+		self._service.set_published_value('curact', dbus.String(activity_id))
+
+class Bot(object):
+	def __init__(self):
+		self.name = util.unique_id()
+		self.color = IconColor()
+		self.icon = None
+
+	def start(self):
+		self._service = BotService(self)
+		self._service.announce()
diff --git a/tests/simulator/bots/penelope.py b/tests/simulator/bots/penelope.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30774ae7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/simulator/bots/penelope.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+from sugar.simulator import Bot
+
+bot = Bot()
+bot.name = 'penelope'
+
+bot.start()
diff --git a/tests/simulator/simulator b/tests/simulator/simulator
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..de216974
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/simulator/simulator
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+import os
+
+import gobject
+
+from sugar.session.TestSession import TestSession
+from sugar.presence import PresenceService
+
+session = TestSession()
+session.start()
+
+PresenceService.start()
+
+base_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__))
+
+bots_path = os.path.join(base_path, 'bots')
+for bot_file in os.listdir(bots_path):
+	if bot_file.endswith('.py') and bot_file != 'kiu.py':
+		execfile(os.path.join(bots_path, bot_file))
+
+mainloop = gobject.MainLoop()
+mainloop.run()